Political Blotter » election 2006http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics
Politics in the Bay Area and beyondFri, 27 Feb 2015 17:26:41 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1Political junkie alert: UC-Berkeley to air conferencehttp://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2007/02/01/political-junkie-alert-uc-berkeley-to-air-conference/
http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2007/02/01/political-junkie-alert-uc-berkeley-to-air-conference/#commentsFri, 02 Feb 2007 02:09:07 +0000Lisa Vorderbrueggenhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/insidepolitics/2007/02/01/political-junkie-alert-uc-berkeley-to-air-conference/This just in from UC-Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies or IGS. For those of you who missed the recent, two-day IGS Quadrennial Governors Conference, a webcast of all of the panels and speakers is now available either through the IGS website or directly through the UC-Berkeley webcast page. This was a very interesting conference. I [...]]]>

This just in from UC-Berkeley’s Institute of Governmental Studies or IGS.

For those of you who missed the recent, two-day IGS Quadrennial Governors Conference, a webcast of all of the panels and speakers is now available either through the IGS website or directly through the UC-Berkeley webcast page.

This was a very interesting conference. I was able to attend only on Saturday, where the panelists were the campaign masterminds behind Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his Democratic challenger, Phil Angelides.

One tidbit I found particularly interesting was confirmation from one of Schwarzenegger’s aides, Steve Schmidt, that the governor intentionally avoided campaigning for fellow Republican Richard Pombo, then an incumbent Tracy congressman who lost his seat to Democrat Jerry McNerney of Pleasanton.

The governor made a campaign stop in Pleasanton but Pombo was clearly not invited.

As I recall, Schmidt referred during the conference to Pombo’s re-election bid as a train wreck they could see coming a mile away.

]]>http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2007/02/01/political-junkie-alert-uc-berkeley-to-air-conference/feed/0AD15 list expands. Again.http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2007/01/24/ad15-list-expands-again/
http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2007/01/24/ad15-list-expands-again/#commentsThu, 25 Jan 2007 02:20:26 +0000Lisa Vorderbrueggenhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/insidepolitics/2007/01/24/ad15-list-expands-again/And then there were seven. Granada High School Principal Chris Van Schaack of Livermore has filed to run as a Democrat in Assembly District 15 as the open seat in this politically competitive district continues to attract a plethora of candidates. Incumbent Guy Houston, R-Livermore, will term out in 2008. Van Schaack, 44, has been [...]]]>

And then there were seven.

Granada High School Principal Chris Van Schaack of Livermore has filed to run as a Democrat in Assembly District 15 as the open seat in this politically competitive district continues to attract a plethora of candidates.

Incumbent Guy Houston, R-Livermore, will term out in 2008.

Van Schaack, 44, has been an educator for nearly 20 years but now says he’s ready to tackle education issues in Sacramento.

“I’ve had good success here at Granada and truly believe that I can be of great assistance to the legislative body in Sacramento,” he wrote in an e-mail. “Over the last month I’ve been meeting with teachers, nurses, police, fire, and real estate folks in order to better understand their perspective and gather their support.

“And fundraising, of course. Lots of fundraising.”

Van Schaack will join fellow Democrat Terry Coleman of Danville, who ran unsuccessfully in for the seat in 2006. Stevan Thomas, a former primary candidate in the congressional District 11 race, has also said he will run.

Republicans who have either filed or said they will run include San Ramon Mayor Abram Wilson, GOP activist Judy Biviano Lloyd of Dublin, eye doctor Scott Kamena of Livermore and retired CEO Robert Rao, also of Livermore.

]]>http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2007/01/24/ad15-list-expands-again/feed/0Contra Costa tops state’s turn-out list, againhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/29/contra-costa-tops-states-turn-out-list-again/
http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/29/contra-costa-tops-states-turn-out-list-again/#commentsThu, 30 Nov 2006 00:05:48 +0000Lisa Vorderbrueggenhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/insidepolitics/2006/11/29/contra-costa-tops-states-turn-out-list-again/The final numbers won’t come in until Monday but it’s highly likely that Contra Costa County will once again top the state in voter turn-out among the 15 counties with 250,000 or more registered voters. Here’s the turn-out as of the Secretary of State web site: 1. Contra Costa County: 61.5 percent 2. Alameda County: [...]]]>

The final numbers won’t come in until Monday but it’s highly likely that Contra Costa County will once again top the state in voter turn-out among the 15 counties with 250,000 or more registered voters.

Contra Costa County party organizers on both sides of the political aisle will credit their get-out-the-vote efforts and that’s certainly a part of the picture.

Or perhaps, it was the Contra Costa Times’ excellent election section of Oct. 9 that motivated voters.

But Bay Area counties almost always top the state turn-out list. Political experts cite their residents’ relatively high incomes and education levels.

My question, though, is about Sonoma County, which logged the highest turn-out in the state at 75.5 percent. What was on the county’s ballot that drew such a crowd?

]]>http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/29/contra-costa-tops-states-turn-out-list-again/feed/0Richmond NAACP requests poll investigationhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/21/richmond-naacp-requests-poll-investigation/
http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/21/richmond-naacp-requests-poll-investigation/#commentsTue, 21 Nov 2006 18:01:58 +0000Lisa Vorderbrueggenhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/insidepolitics/2006/11/21/richmond-naacp-requests-poll-investigation/Ken Nelson, president-Elect and executive committee member of the NAACP Richmond branch, has requested an investigation into polling place problems in several Richmond neighborhoods where a high percentage of African-Americans live. The matter has particular significance in Richmond where only 279 votes separate the apparent winner of the city’s mayor race, Gayle McLaughlin, and its [...]]]>

Ken Nelson, president-Elect and executive committee member of the NAACP Richmond branch, has requested an investigation into polling place problems in several Richmond neighborhoods where a high percentage of African-Americans live.

The matter has particular significance in Richmond where only 279 votes separate the apparent winner of the city’s mayor race, Gayle McLaughlin, and its African-American incumbent, Irma Anderson.

Here is the text of Nelson’s letter to Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder Steve Weir:

Dear Mr. Weir,

The Richmond Branch of the NAACP has received numerous complaints regarding Precincts 394, 388, and 387 at Wilson Elementary School in Richmond, California. We are concerned that misinformation provided by poll workers and an apparent lack of training and support for poll workers at this location resulted in voter disenfranchisement and prevented many residents from casting their votes. We are particularly concerned that this disenfranchisement occurred in precincts with high numbers of African-American voters.

We have received reports that poll workers at this location refused to provide voters with provisional ballots and improperly turned voters away from the polls. Furthermore, neither poll workers nor voters were able reach the county elections office when they sought information on voting procedures. We have also received complaints that poll workers at this location did not have adequate training and that this lack of training resulted in general mismanagement of the precincts and voter frustration, in some cases leaving voters with no alternative but to leave without casting their vote.

We request that you launch a formal investigation into this matter and meet with the Richmond NAACP to discuss the complaints our office has received. We also request that you provide the Richmond NAACP with a copy of all training materials provided to poll workers and specifically all information provided to poll workers at the Wilson Elementary School location.

We look forward to receiving your prompt response. You can reach me directly at 510-776-7518.

]]>http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/21/richmond-naacp-requests-poll-investigation/feed/0Contra Costa/Alameda election results updatedhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/16/contra-costaalameda-election-results-updated/
http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/16/contra-costaalameda-election-results-updated/#commentsFri, 17 Nov 2006 00:54:23 +0000Lisa Vorderbrueggenhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/insidepolitics/2006/11/16/contra-costaalameda-election-results-updated/The leaders in all the close Alameda and Contra County races remain ahead after election officials completed counting the bulk of the remaining absentee ballots this afternoon. The counties have until Dec. 5 to certify and release the final vote results. But the chance of a shift this late in tallying process has dropped substantially [...]]]>

The leaders in all the close Alameda and Contra County races remain ahead after election officials completed counting the bulk of the remaining absentee ballots this afternoon.

The counties have until Dec. 5 to certify and release the final vote results.

But the chance of a shift this late in tallying process has dropped substantially now that only a small percentage of ballots remain uncounted.

“Most of these races are no longer close,” Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder Steve Weir.

Races to watch Contra Costa include:

Antioch: Reggie Moore slightly widened his lead over Manny Soliz by 92 votes for the second slot on the City Council.

Concord: Incumbent Helen Allen slightly increased her lead over Ron Leone to 341 votes for the third opening on the City Council.

John Swett Unified School District: William Concannon widened his lead over Jim Delgadillo from 2 to 58 votes in the competition for the second of two open seats on the board.

Pinole: Mary Horton’s lead over Betty Boyle dropped to 53 votes in the battle for the third opening on the City Council.

]]>http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/16/contra-costaalameda-election-results-updated/feed/0Contra Costa election results update at 4 p.m.http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/16/contra-costa-election-results-update-at-4-pm/
http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/16/contra-costa-election-results-update-at-4-pm/#commentsThu, 16 Nov 2006 20:36:30 +0000Lisa Vorderbrueggenhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/insidepolitics/2006/11/16/contra-costa-election-results-update-at-4-pm/The Contra Costa County Elections Department will update the results of last week’s election today at 4 p.m. I will post as quickly as possible an update of the close races on this blog and the Times’ home page. Check the county web site here. A half-dozen races or more remain very close and this [...]]]>

The Contra Costa County Elections Department will update the results of last week’s election today at 4 p.m. I will post as quickly as possible an update of the close races on this blog and the Times’ home page.

A half-dozen races or more remain very close and this update will include the bulk of the uncounted absentee ballots.

]]>http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/16/contra-costa-election-results-update-at-4-pm/feed/0Contra Costa, Alameda races still tight; counting continueshttp://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/14/contra-costa-alameda-races-still-tight-counting-continues/
http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/14/contra-costa-alameda-races-still-tight-counting-continues/#commentsWed, 15 Nov 2006 01:24:32 +0000Lisa Vorderbrueggenhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/insidepolitics/2006/11/14/contra-costa-alameda-races-still-tight-counting-continues/Candidates in a half-dozen tight Contra Costa and Alameda county races, such as those seeking a seat on the Antioch City Council and mayoral hopefuls in Pleasanton and Richmond, may have to wait days or weeks for the outcome. An unprecedented number of absentee ballots turned in at the polls has left Contra Costa election [...]]]>

Candidates in a half-dozen tight Contra Costa and Alameda county races, such as those seeking a seat on the Antioch City Council and mayoral hopefuls in Pleasanton and Richmond, may have to wait days or weeks for the outcome.

An unprecedented number of absentee ballots turned in at the polls has left Contra Costa election officials with 40,000 ballots — about 13 percent of all the ballots cast — to count this week.

Alameda County experienced a similar deluge, although its clerks counted most of its 70,000 absentee ballots over the weekend.

Its staff is now counting as many as 5,000 absentees that were rejected by the county’s scanning equipment because they were mismarked or torn.

“We got one ballot with an apology note from someone because his dog got a hold of the ballot,” said Alameda County spokesman Guy Ashley. “We will examine each of those ballots and see if we can determine the voter’s intent and record those votes.”

After absentees have been rounded up, Contra Costa officials must count another 9,000 provisional ballots while Alameda County has 15,000.

Provisionals are ballots in which the voter believes he or she is eligible but whose name does not appear on the voter rolls. The voter fills out the ballot and clerks confirm eligibility after the election.

What does all this mean?

It’s time-consuming to examine and process thousands of ballots individually, especially when voters drop them off by the truckload on Election Day. Clerks must open every envelope, check every signature and scan every ballot themselves.

Contrast that to votes cast in the polling place, where the voter marks it, inserts it into an optical scanner and clerks download the results into the computer.

As a result, in races where a few dozen or a few hundred votes separate winners from the losers, it could take days or weeks to finalize results.

In most of the close races in Contra Costa, Clerk-Recorder Steve Weir hopes to have answers by Thursday or Friday.

But in exceptionally tight races, outstanding provisional ballots could affect the outcome.
Clerks hope to finish counting these ballots next week or at the latest, after the Thanksgiving holiday. Counties have until Dec. 5 to certify the election results.

In particular, the 900 provisional ballots in Richmond could be a factor in the outcome of its mayor and council races. Residents unwilling to vote at a community center in the Iron Triangle contributed to the higher-than-usual numbers of provisional ballots in the city, Weir said.

It’s unclear why so many absentee voters waited until Monday and Election Day to cast their ballots.

But this trend, say election officials, is here to stay. Vote-by-mail rolls have expanded steadily, either out of convenience or a growing distrust of voting equipment.

For the second election in a row, more people voted absentee than went to the polls in both Contra Costa and Alameda counties.

By the time all ballots have been counted, Weir estimates that turn-out in Contra Costa will reach 63 percent, about average for the county. About 52 percent of the ballots were absentee while 48 percent were cast at the polls.

Alameda County reported a lower turn-out rate of 55 percent, but reported a similar split between absentee and voting at the polls.

ELECTION 2006: TOO CLOSE TO CALL
Races with close margins include:

AC Transit, Ward 3: Elsa Ortiz holds a 146-vote leader of Tony Daysog for a seat on the Board of Directors.Albany: Joanne Wile holds a 211-vote lead over Caryl O’Keefe for the second opening on the City Council.Antioch: Reggie Moore holds an 83-vote lead over Manny Soliz for the second slot on the City Council.Concord: Incumbent Helen Allen has a 258-vote lead over Ron Leone for the third opening on the City CouncilJohn Swett Unified School District: William Concannon has a 2-vote lead over Jim Delgadillo for the second open seat on the board.Pinole: Mary Horton and Betty Boyle are battling it out for the third opening on the City Council, with 102 votes between them.Pleasanton: Incumbent Mayor Jennifer Hosterman holds a slim 115-vote lead over challenger Steve Brozosky.Richmond mayor: Gayle McLaughlin leads incumbent Irma Anderson by 192 votes.Richmond: Myrna Lopez has a 160-vote margin lead over Corky Booze in the competition for the third opening on the City Council.West Contra Costa County Unified School Board: Incumbent Charles Ramsey holds a 360-vote lead over Antonio Medrano for the third seat on the board.

]]>http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/14/contra-costa-alameda-races-still-tight-counting-continues/feed/0Contra Costa races still tight; results coming soonhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/14/contra-costa-races-still-tight-results-coming-soon/
http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/14/contra-costa-races-still-tight-results-coming-soon/#commentsTue, 14 Nov 2006 19:14:36 +0000Lisa Vorderbrueggenhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/insidepolitics/2006/11/14/contra-costa-races-still-tight-results-coming-soon/Candidates in a half-dozen tight Contra Costa County races, such as the Richmond mayor and Antioch City Council, may not know their fates until early December. An unprecedented number of absentee ballots turned in at the polls has left election officials with 40,000 ballots — about 13 percent of all the ballots cast — to [...]]]>

Candidates in a half-dozen tight Contra Costa County races, such as the Richmond mayor and Antioch City Council, may not know their fates until early December.

An unprecedented number of absentee ballots turned in at the polls has left election officials with 40,000 ballots — about 13 percent of all the ballots cast — to count this week.

It’s a time-consuming task: Clerks must verify signatures on every absentee ballot before placing them in an optical scanner that tallies the results.

And after absentees have been rounded up, officials must count another 9,000 provisional ballots. These are ballots in which the voter believes he or she is eligible but whose name does not appear on the voter roll. The voter fills out the ballot and clerks check for eligibility after the election.

What does all this mean?

In races where a few dozen or even a few hundred votes separate winners from the losers, it could take weeks to finalize the results.

But in most of the close races, Contra Costa Clerk-Recorder Steve Weir hopes to have answers by Thursday or Friday.

In exceptionally tight races, however, the provisional ballots may affect the outcome. The clerks probably won’t finish counting these ballots for several weeks. Under state law, counties have until Dec. 5 to certify the election results.

In particular, the 900 provisional ballots in Richmond could be a factor in the outcome of its mayor and council races. Residents unwilling to vote at a community center in the Iron Triangle contributed to the higher-than-usual numbers of provisional ballots in the city, Weir said.

It’s unclear why so many absentee voters waited until Monday and Election Day to cast their ballots.

Weir attributes heavy pre-election publicity for the significant drop in ballots that arrived too late to count, however. In June, 2 percent of all ballots arrived after the polls closed. That figure is less than 1/2 of one percent in this election.

Officials urged voters that did not mail their ballots by the Friday before the election to bring them to the polls or to county’s Martinez office.

By the time all ballots have been counted, Weir estimates that Contra Costa’s voter turn-out was 63.4 percent, about average for a gubernatorial general election.

For the second election in the row, absentee voters comprised more than half of the results: 52 percent of the ballots were absentee while 48 percent were cast at the polls.

]]>http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/14/contra-costa-races-still-tight-results-coming-soon/feed/0McNerney’s win, in a historical perspectivehttp://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/10/mcnerneys-win-in-a-historical-perspective/
http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/10/mcnerneys-win-in-a-historical-perspective/#commentsSat, 11 Nov 2006 00:53:37 +0000Lisa Vorderbrueggenhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/insidepolitics/2006/11/10/mcnerneys-win-in-a-historical-perspective/Jason Bezis, a Lafayette lawyer and an amateur political history, sent me a fascinating historical look at the election of Congressman-elect Jerry McNerney in congressional District 11. Here’s what he tells us: Jerry McNerney’s victory in California’s 11th Congressional District is a once-in-a-generation political phenomenon: San Joaquin Valley Richard Pombo is the first congressman to [...]]]>

Jason Bezis, a Lafayette lawyer and an amateur political history, sent me a fascinating historical look at the election of Congressman-elect Jerry McNerney in congressional District 11.

Here’s what he tells us:

Jerry McNerney’s victory in California’s 11th Congressional District is a once-in-a-generation political phenomenon:

San Joaquin Valley
Richard Pombo is the first congressman to lose a general election in a San Joaquin County district since 1978, when Norman D. Shumway (R-Stockton) defeated eleven-term Rep. John J. McFall (D-Manteca). That district included San Joaquin, Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Mono and Tuolumne counties and part of Stanislaus County.

Jerry McNerney is the first Democrat to unseat a Republican in a San Joaquin County congressional district in a half-century. In 1956, Manteca attorney John J. Fall (D) defeated seven-term Rep. Justin Leroy Johnson (R-Stockton) in the 11th Congressional District, which then encompassed all of San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties.

McNerney is the fourth successful challenger in a general election for a San Joaquin County
congressional seat in the past century. Incumbent congressmen lost general elections in San Joaquin County districts in 1932, 1956, 1978 – and now 2006.

East Bay
Pombo is the first congressman to lose an election in an East Bay congressional district in a
decade. In 1996, businesswoman Ellen O. Tauscher (D-Tassajara Valley) ousted two-term Rep.
William P. Baker (D-Danville) in the 10th Congressional District, which then included parts of
Contra Costa and Alameda counties.

McNerney is the ninth successful challenger ever in an East Bay general election for Congress.
Incumbent congressmen lost general elections in East Bay districts in 1882, 1884, 1894, 1934, 1944, 1954, 1958, 1996 – and now 2006.

McNerney will be the first resident of the Livermore-Amador Valley (Livermore-Pleasanton area)
ever to serve in Congress.

Santa Clara County
Pombo is the first congressman to lose a general election in a Santa Clara County district in 68
years. In 1938, John Z. “Jack” Anderson (R-San Juan Bautista) defeated three-term Rep. John J. McGrath (D-San Mateo) in the 8th Congressional District, which then generally stretched along the coast from San Mateo to Monterey counties.

McNerney is the first Democrat to unseat a Republican in a Santa Clara County congressional district in 74 years. In 1932, John J. McGrath (D-San Mateo) defeated six-term Rep. Arthur M. Free (R-San Jose) in the 8th Congressional District, which then generally stretched along the coast from San Mateo to Monterey counties.

McNerney is the fifth successful challenger in a general election for a Santa Clara County
congressional seat in the past century. Incumbent congressmen lost general elections in Santa
Clara County districts in 1918, 1920, 1932, 1938 – and now 2006.

Other noteworthy items:
Next January, California’s 53-member congressional delegation will include 34 Democrats, the most Democrats in any state’s delegation in history. The only state delegations to include more members of single party were Pennsylvania’s 36 Republicans elected in 1924 and Pennsylvania’s 35 Republicans elected in 1928.

]]>http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/10/mcnerneys-win-in-a-historical-perspective/feed/0Bloggers play role in Pombo’s defeathttp://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/09/bloggers-play-role-in-pombos-defeat/
http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2006/11/09/bloggers-play-role-in-pombos-defeat/#commentsThu, 09 Nov 2006 18:23:13 +0000Lisa Vorderbrueggenhttp://www.ibabuzz.com/insidepolitics/2006/11/09/bloggers-play-role-in-pombos-defeat/The appearance of web sites and blogs devoted to the ousting of Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, as early as four years ago may have been the proverbial canary in the mine. Pombo lost his seat Tuesday to Democrat Jerry McNerney of Pleasanton, a feat political analysts considered unlikely in the Republican district until a few [...]]]>

The appearance of web sites and blogs devoted to the ousting of Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Tracy, as early as four years ago may have been the proverbial canary in the mine.

Pombo lost his seat Tuesday to Democrat Jerry McNerney of Pleasanton, a feat political analysts considered unlikely in the Republican district until a few months ago.

Scott Restivo, who lived in San Ramon until a recent move to Benicia, started VotePomboOut.Org in 2002 when Democrat Elaine Shaw challenged Pombo.

“The bloggers helped organize and coalesce people behind the scenes,” Restivo says. “It wasn’t just people griping. It was all about getting information out. We were a virtual watering hole, a place where we could sit around and plan the next activity.”

The sites offered multiple viewpoints on the candidates and the campaign. Their organizers also possessed large e-mail lists and they blasted their recipients with the latest developments CD11 and news of the campaigns.

It’s a relatively cheap and regulation-free means of getting out the word. The Federal Election Commission has determined that such citizen-operated sites and blogs are not required to file as campaign committees, which would almost certaintly stifle the Internet marketplace of ideas.

Restivo started his site after redistricting in 2001 shifted him from Democratic Rep. Ellen Tauscher’s district into Republica Pombo’s.

But his site, and others, began to see heavy traffic after Pombo began moving aggressively on his conservative agenda as chairman of the House Resources Committee in 2003.

“When Jerry said he would run in 2004, that really started moving people and we started to see more traffic and the appearance of more sites,” Restivo says. “But my take on it is that Pombo did it to himself. Pombo was generating a lot of heat and people wanted to know, ‘How do we get rid of him?’ ”

The blogs and web sites were sparks, Restivo says.

But it was McNerney and the anti-Pombo campaign on the ground, Restivo said, that fueled the fire.

“You can have all the sparks you want but without the kindling and firewood, you can’t do anything,” Restivo says.

Restivo wrote an e-mail summarizing how he saw the bloggers’ role in the campaign:

The most important point is that none of us did this for fame or glory or because we were paid operatives or anything like that, such as Pombo imagines.

We did this as ordinary citizens who saw something was wrong and wanted to change it. Jerry included. I think that in itself is quite remarkable.

Somehow, Pombo and crew always seemed to ascribe ulterior motives to us, but it was much simpler than that. We went to bat for what we believed in, and are now happy to return to “ordinary” life.